Explanatory Notes        Apparatus Notes ()

Source: Mark Twain House and Museum, Hartford, Conn ([CtHMTH])

Cue: "(Forgot to say I expressed the original MS"

Source format: "MS"

Letter type: "[standard letter]"

Notes:

Last modified:

Revision History: Larson, Brian

Published on MTPO: 2012

Print Publication:

MTPDocEd
To Benjamin H. Ticknor
10 October 1881 • Hartford, Conn. (MS: CtHMTH, UCCL 12678)
My Dear Ticknor:

(Forgot to say I expressed the original MS of P & P to you some time ago from Elmira.)

I don’t know whether the enclosed from Webster is to be sent to you, or whether it is only a copy to inform me what he has written you. However, I send it, to make sure.

We are experimenting on a far better method of casting brass dies than that employed in making the others, & we shall know before long whether it is going to succeed or not. If it succeeds, we can trot your work through for you as fast as you can send it: but for the present we should have to use the old method & depend on other people’s furnaces & workmen; & so Webster is very properly afraid of delaying your work & thereby doing you more harm than good.

Ys Truly
S. L. Clemens

If you’ve got lots of time to spare, send Webster your designs & he will cast them in the old way; but don’t, if you haven’t plenty of time, for I don’t want the discomfort & responsibility of delaying you.

Textual Commentary
Source text(s):

MS, CtHMTH.

Previous Publication:

American Art Association catalog, 16 April 1925, lot 28, partial publication; Sotheby’s catalog, 19 June 2003, lot 47, partial publication.

Provenance:

Purchased at the Sotheby’s sale of 19 June 2003 from the collection of Nick Karanovich.

More information on provenance may be found in Description of Provenanceclick to open link.

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